1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a foldable display apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a foldable display apparatus for minimizing a bending stress of a display panel.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
A display apparatus using a flat display panel, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus, a plasma display apparatus, an organic light emitting display apparatus, an electrophoretic display apparatus, or an electro-wetting display apparatus, is generally applied to notebook computers, portable electronic devices, televisions (TVs), and monitors.
Recently, even in portable electronic devices, the demand for a large screen is increasing, and thus, an apparatus including a display unit displaying a large screen is being developed and commercialized by connecting a flat display panel. In particular, foldable display apparatuses using the merits of a flexible display panel which is bendable or foldable provide portable convenience and include a display unit which displays a large screen, and thus are attracting much attention as next-generation technology of the display field. The foldable display apparatus may be applied to various fields such as TVs and monitors, in addition to portable electronic devices such as mobile communication terminals, electronic notes, e-books, portable multimedia players (PMPs), navigation devices, ultra mobile personal computers (PCs), mobile phones, smartphones, tablet PCs.
Examples of foldable display apparatuses may include a flexible display apparatus disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0010405 (hereinafter referred to as a prior art reference).
The flexible display apparatus disclosed in the prior art reference unfolds a flexible display with respect to a hinge having a link structure, thereby providing a large screen.
However, the flexible display apparatus disclosed in the prior art reference cannot stably maintain a bending curvature of a folded flexible display due to an empty space between housings caused by the hinge having the link structure, and cannot maintain a bending display area of an unfolded flexible display in a plane state.